Flint businessman Philip Shaltz teams with Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to provide free diapers to those in need

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan brings in a truckload of 265,000 diapers into their warehouse to be be distributed to other agencies and food pantries as they request them. The diapers are an expensive commodity and they haven't received them in stock lately.
Sammy Jo Hester | MLive.com

FLINT, MI -- Between 500,000 and 1 million diapers will be given to families in Genesee County this year through a joint effort of businessman Philip Shaltz and Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.

Shaltz founded the nonprofit Flint Diaper Bank in partnership with Angie Hendershot of ABC12 News to provide the diapers free of charge.

Shaltz -- president of Shaltz Automation and co-founder of Uptown
Developments, a group focused on the redevelopment of downtown Flint --
said the project is an effort to combat a limited supply of disposable
diapers available to families in need and to help alleviate the high
costs of purchasing diapers.

“What is happening in our community is that babies that may need 6-10 diapers a day are getting one, two or maybe three – depending on resources available to purchase,” Shaltz said. “Women are taking diapers off of their babies and shaking them out or blow drying them (to reuse). That’s a problem.”

Babies sitting in a soiled diaper for hours can result in a crying child -- which can be a precursor to child abuse, Shaltz said. Reusing disposable diapers can result in the baby contracting rashes and even diseases.

“This is just one of those things you know there’s a need for, and diapers are so expensive,” Shaltz said. “We know it’s happening in all communities and in Genesee County maybe more than most.”

“We could easily utilize 1 million diapers within the community per year,” said William Kerr, president of Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. “This is certainly going to be a great aid to those families.”

Among other serious factors influencing Shaltz’s decision to pursue the diaper project include the inability to use state and federal assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (bridge card) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to purchase diapers.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan brings in a truckload of 265,000 diapers into their warehouse to be be distributed to other agencies and food pantries as they request them. The diapers are an expensive commodity and they haven't received them in stock lately.
Sammy Jo Hester | MLive.com

A shipment of 265,000 diapers arrived Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the Food Bank’s warehouse. The diapers will be distributed to the nearly 200 agencies and food pantries associated with the Food Bank, and then given to families.

He expects the need for diapers within Genesee County to top 10 to 12 million annually.

“I’ll never be able to provide that,” Shaltz said. “This isn’t meant to replace diaper usage, it’s meant to supplement it … with a charitable endeavor like this, it doesn’t solve the problem – but it’s making it easier for people to deal with the issue.”

“My end game is to put my diaper bank out of business,” Shaltz said.

Shaltz is asking for funding from agencies and foundations in the community as well as individuals to help offset the cost of the diapers.

Shaltz said there were “absolutely zero administrative costs” associated
with the project, with the exception of a $50 filing fee for the 501c3
nonprofit.

The Flint Diaper Bank has raised funds to procure the diapers – which cost $40,000 per truckload of 265,000 – and will pack bundles of 25 to ship to the Food Bank, Shaltz said.

Shaltz also plans to push for legislative changes in Michigan that would allow WIC and EBT funds to be used for disposable diapers.

Cara Ross, vice president of Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, said the diapers are an expensive commodity, and the Food Bank has not handled the product in quite a while. She expects the supply to be depleted within the next few weeks.

For a list of food pantries and agencies associated with the Food Bank, click here.